Fleeting Dreams
by Snoaz
Summary: She likes being in Snowpoint. (Hikari-centered drabbles, various pairings and characters. A tour around Sinnoh.)
1. Volkner, Valor Lakefront

**A/N:**

**I had planned to upload this before the international release of Black and White, ****but life distracted me in all her subtle ways and now it's a tiny bit late. The idea is to make this a collection of short stories, all Hikari-centred (not necessarily told from her point of view)**** and all taking place in a different area of Sinnoh. Sort of a ****tour across the region. Whoever will appear next to Hikari in the story depends on what I feel like writing at the moment; sometimes it will be shipping-verse, sometimes not. **

**As for this chapter: after my Alexandrianshipping story earlier I was eager to write more of Volkner, with this as the result. I don't often do game-verse stories, so I'm actually quite excited for this project; hopefully it will stay that way so that I can make a decent number of entries. :)**

**Disclaimer: Do not own Pokémon.**

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_Valor Lakefront; Beaconshipping._

The evening has set in, initiating the shades of bluish light so typical of Valor Lakefront. Repeatedly Hikari has thought of this time of day as her favourite. The middle of the day, with its bright light, is attractive, and so is the morning; inaugurating a whole new set of opportunities that she might or might not take. But this - the moon reflected in the black waters; the beach reduced to a sober extension of the sea; and the town itself seeming almost pearly in the glow of the moon - _this _is what is most beautiful of all.

Perhaps she is melancholic to think like that. Hikari doesn't know.

The silence of Lake Valor is so different from the silence in her own town (home). It's soothing, and calm, rather than deserted. _Chosen _stillness; not an inevitable consequence of geographical factors.

It's in this state of mind and this setting that she sees Volkner for the first time in a long period. He exits from the Hotel Grand Lake and walks in the direction of the beach; wishing, perhaps, for a breather or a quiet reflection after - _whatever action. _

Her grey eyes follow him. She is surprised to see his face here - but not so much that it results in a physical reaction. Her life towards the top has blurred the sharp edges of her emotions: too much has happened for her to still be shocked; too much has succeeded for her to still _want _something.

But she still can feel resonations. There's something stirring in her stomach, at this very moment.

After a few seconds, another person follows him and - it's a woman. _Of course it is, _her quiet reasoning tells her, and it's not regret or loss that colours her tone. It's merely the distant sound of observation.

(Her journey has been nothing but observing things with sometimes turning them into acquisitions; by now, the distinction is clear).

They go down to the beach, together, and - why does that last word feel so much more loaded than the rest of the sentence? Is it because it's something she can only long for herself, she, who is always underway? She, who is always alone?

_But that is simply not true, _her reasoning replies. She has her Pokémon and her friends, and besides - it is _chosen _solitude. Not an inevitable consequence of factors.

So it's almost with clinical detachment that she watches Volkner put an arm around the unknown woman; that she imagines his eyes to be soft in the evening light, the frown on his face still there but almost imperceptible.

And oh, there may be scenarios and futures in her head that won't come true (_won__'__t come true, won__'__t come true) _but that doesn't matter. She's as much used to deception as to greatness, and - it's only a fickle desire anyway.

It's nothing substantial.

She still keeps her eyes on the beach, drinking in the shadowy details with an avidness that is almost _eager. _

(So long since she's felt something like this. So long since she's been _burning_…

burning, for what?)

Her hand closes around the pokéball on her waist. One shouldn't lose time dreaming meaningless dreams, she mumbles feebly.

_You__'__re way past that_, her reasoning confirms, and smiles an almost pitying smile.

(Once upon a time, there had been nothing but dreams twirling in front of her eyes. She'd like to go back).


	2. Marley, Victory Road

**A/N:**

**I've always been fascinated by Marley as a character, so this piece was a pleasure to write. I think there's multiple ways to interpret her character, and this is one of them. To make it more in-character, I only used text she actually speaks when you walk with her through the game; it's not much, but enough for this short piece, haha.**

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_Victory Road__– Croqueshipping_

She is a doll, Marley thinks, a beautiful doll.

Raven hair, so polished it gleams; eyes grey and shining and sharp.

Skin – powdery. Like a china doll. Like the dolls she used to collect.

"I want to go through this cave," Marley whispers. She doesn't like to talk. She doesn't like going through the dark alone. "Can I come with you?"

The girl nods. There are shadows surrounding her face. Marley can't distinguish everything; she does not like it. She wishes for the brightness outside, where the flowers and the summer air will be waiting for her.

The doll (girl) talks a lot.

Her lips are cherry, _pink_-cherry.

Is that possible? Marley doesn't know.

She ponders.

She looks at her lips,

(and wants to touch them, and wants to feel them)

and thinks –_ they should be soft, should they not?_

"…you're very chatty," Marley says instead.

She does not like words. Words are distracting. They are nets in which your thoughts get constricted and lost forever. The thoughts will disappear; she feels them disappearing right now.

It's scary.

_But not wholly _– because Arcanine is with her. Her partner. With his fur so soft, like a woollen blanket.

The girl walks, and talks, and walks. Her legs are long.

Marley doesn't understand how it is possible - this girl travels a lot. How can she look like a doll?

_ A china doll._

"….just a little," she says.

She thinks of the Pokémon among the flowers. There's a tablet. She is not sure how it makes her feel, but she thinks it makes her happy.

The _girl _looks happy. The girl looks _brave_.

She fights all the wild Pokémon that attack them, and wins. Marley helps along with Arcanine. She does not like fighting; but now she doesn't mind that much.

Perhaps.

"…I might like battling with you…" she whispers, "….just a little… only a tiny bit."

She speaks, and she thinks.

It is confusing.

_Everything _is confusing.

"You're so strong. It makes me feel happy."

There's silence in the cave. She breathes, and quivers.

"…I don't know why… this is a strange feeling…"

Marley does not want to let go anymore.


	3. Lucas, Eterna Forest

**A/N:**

**I now present you my favourite shipping with Hikari, which is the one with Lucas. I think they are quite cute together. Not that there's that much interaction in this piece - it's more character analysis than anything else, and subtle at that. But that's how I like my pairings in the first place.  
**

**Anyway, happy to say I'm still writing for this project; there should at least come another two pieces after this! **

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III _Eterna Forest – Fortuneshipping_

The forest is dense and humid. It is just as Hikari remembers it, in her memories; the ones that she treasures, because only they remind her of the journey that's past her (and perhaps is still making).

It's strange, walking here while your ten-year-old-self seemingly hovers above your shoulder. It smiles at you, at how big you've become, and how experienced your eyes shine.

_I still don__'__t know everything, _she wants to reply; but doesn't.

Lucas is with her.

Lucas, who reminds her of the old days more than anyone, who ties her to her own (real) self. It's a pleasure walking together, even though she's not really used to company anymore. It was always her and her Pokémon; sometimes, she thinks she might have done it differently if she had the chance.

(Is it fair to think like that?)

There's never silence in the forest, not with all the Pokémon scuffling about. But it still seems as though the moss absorbs their every sound, even that of their own footsteps and – it's eerie and peaceful at the same time.

From behind the trees, unexpectedly the Old Chateau looms. They stand still and watch, habitual fear covering Hikari's heart – but then she smiles.

It's nothing. Nothing but a house keeping its own nightmare alive.

And it's sad, perhaps, that's she's lost that charm from before (_–you have changed, _her old self says, a bit surprised, as though the thought would never have come to her mind; and Hikari thinks of legendary Pokémon and destruction and accomplished and shattered dreams, and thinks _naïve _before she can stop herself).

Her grey eyes soften. She shouldn't think like that.

Next to her, interest is covering Lucas's face. Her heart warms to him, because he'd always been the more curious of the two. And it might have created envy in her, once; but not anymore.

She's gained enough to balance out her flaws.

(There were gains and there were losses, and at the moment it seems clear which way the scale tips).

"Shall we take a look inside?" Lucas' voice comes to her, and when she looks up there's a bright light in his eyes.

Hikari nods in agreement, and briefly extends a hand to touch his.

A spark.

An instant smile.

Something akin to fluttering feelings.

– but most of all (and there's giddiness and wonder and amazement, because how could this be) –

_Unfamiliarity_.


	4. Cyrus, Mt Coronet

**A/N: Apparently when Tumblr is down I start writing again. This is really small, but better than nothing?**

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_Mount Coronet - Cyrus _

Wind is beating down on her and she feels – determination, strength, _excitement_.

There's a raw fascination for this man, an almost sickly interest in his motives and goals. What does he do, what does he want, what does he feel? It's not written on his face and it makes her want to challenge him ever more.

Every inkling of surprise on his side, no matter how small, not matter how inscrutable, is a reward for months and years of training.

'I'm better than you,' every blow of her Pokémon says.

_'Will you come out now?' _she thinks.

(– and of course there is the revulsion for his plans, the weight of the world like lead on her shoulders, but in this moment, this instant, it's just them.)


	5. Jun, Twinleaf Town

_Twinleaf Town; Twinleafshipping._

It's home. Even after months and years of wandering, it still is (- if only in the strict sense of the word.)

And perhaps it's nostalgia above anything else, because the few houses Twinleaf Town contains look like miniatures on a model scale 1:100 and the air reminds her of dreams long fulfilled.

– but still, here there is Mum, who makes the best rice puddings in the world, who brings up buttery toast in the morning with the crusts cut off because that's the way 'her girl' likes it; here there's her old room with every memory present and tangible and – Jun.

_Jun_. Still here, still like old times (almost.)

She nearly feels ten again when he makes jokes that curve her lips pleasantly, eyes wrinkling in a way they haven't for a long time – and it's not because she gets the joke but it's because she knows she would have four years ago, and isn't that the same?

She says something quasi-witty in return and they both laugh, knowing he still is unmistakably the joker of the two.

Secluded in her old room like this, sitting on the bed with their legs crossed, it's easy to pretend nothing has changed; easy to pretend she hasn't beaten him, several times, has seen the world, saved it, stood on top of it –

It's all right. Like this.


	6. Candice, Snowpoint City

_Snowpoint City; Candice._

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Hikari likes being in Snowpoint. The snow is far from convenient, but there's a timeless, magical quality to it – something that stirs her heart and makes her feel childish, almost.

Between you and her, that's an accomplishment.

In Snow Point there's Candice too. Hikari also likes her, though she doesn't always get her. Candice is a force of contradictions: cold yet passionate, young yet full of experience and tricks of the trade. That's probably why Hikari likes her. It's like some of her fire (fire! how paradoxical) rubs off on those around her – and still there's plenty left to wonder about.

"Stop thinking," Candice says and Hikari looks up; smiles. _If only._

But she redirects her attention to the creaking of the snow under their boots, the air-stopping freshness of the air, the scurrying of a Snover nearby.

'Remember when I caught you here?' she thinks, patting the pokeball with her Abomasnow in her pocket. There's memories everywhere.

Candice's cheeks are red from the cold. Hikari's sure hers are as well – and almost feels like asking before she stops herself. What would be the point of that?

Instead she starts a sudden sprint, acting on an impulse she didn't know she'd had. Within seconds she can hear Candice break into a run too, trying to catch up with her, laughing: 'Hey, you, what's the hurry?!"

The feel of the cold wind and the snow under her winter boots and the blur of green and white (– pine trees breaking the monotony of white). There's a rush in her head. There's a lightness in her chest.

Maybe it's the snow.

(But maybe it's Candice.)


End file.
